Keystone series features biotech start-up executives

KALAMAZOO -- Executives from two biotech startup companies
will speak about building their businesses at a presentation
Friday, Oct. 24, at Western Michigan University's Haworth College
of Business.

Phil Long, CEO of NephRX, and Dr. Jay Goodwin, founder of
ADMETRx, will present "Building New Companies in Kalamazoo's
Southwest Michigan Innovation Center" as part of the Keystone
Community Bank Breakfast Series. The presentation, which includes
a continental breakfast, will begin at 7:30 a.m. in Room 2150
of WMU's Schneider Hall. The free Haworth College of Business
program is sponsored by Keystone Community Bank. Parking will
be available in the Fetzer Center parking lot. Reservations are
required and can be made by calling the business dean's office
at (269) 387-5050.

Long, the former president of Biggs|Gilmore Communications
and former chair of the Haworth College of Business Council,
took the helm at NephRX this past summer. The company is dedicated
to the discovery and development of therapeutic products for
the treatment of kidney failure, kidney disease and diseases
of the gastrointestinal tract.

A longtime employee of the Upjohn Company and its successors--Pharmacia
and Upjohn, Pharmacia and now Pfizer--Goodwin formed ADMETRx
this past summer together with his colleague Phil Burton. ADMETRx
is a pre-clinical profiling contract research organization.

As part of the 2003-04 Keystone series, business leaders from
around West Michigan are slated to discuss the triumphs and challenges
of finding success in this area, and how they have grown and
prospered despite tough economic times.